Grammar schools can be ‘transformative’ for working class areas and help kids catch up with middle class children, says report

Study commissioned by Labour-run Knowsley Council says poor white kids will stay bottom of the class without them

By ALAIN TOLHURST

31st October 2016, 11:19 am

Updated: 31st October 2016, 11:31 am

GRAMMAR schools can be “transformative” for working class areas and help kids catch up with middle class children, according to a major report by a think tank.

White children from a poor background are currently bottom of the class, and will stay there without a major overhaul, including selective education targeted at them, it says.

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Working class areas can be transformed by grammar schools, says report

The report recommends an Olympic-style "Team GB" approach of "marginal gains" be adopted to transform the performance amongst an ethnic group which has the lowest level of educational attainment.

The study by ResPublica was commissioned by Labour-run Knowsley Council on Merseyside, the second poorest borough in England and the worst-performing authority for GCSE resuts.

It has set up a £1million Education Commission to tackle its dire education performance, but authors of the report say the changes they propose could have a dramatic impact across working class areas all over the country.

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Education Secretary Justine Greening said more grammar schools are on the way

Director of ResPublica Phillip Blond said: "For too long white working class children have been left behind by an education system which is not working properly.

"With a new education secretary we have the chance to implement change, not only in Knowsley where we know that improvements need to be made but across the whole of the country.

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ResPublica say for grammar schools to contribute the Government should ensure they are focused on the most disadvantaged areas, where there are no existing local schools rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted.

It cites research that found for "poor but bright" pupils, grammar schools can boost their performance by nearly 10% compared to non-selective schools.

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The report is urging Theresa May to create new grammars in deprived arease

A Department for Education spokesman said the Government welcomed the initiatives to improve standards in Knowsley.

He added: "We want to build a country that works for everyone, not just the privileged few, and education is at the heart of that ambition.

"This research shows the transformative impact grammar schools can have on the life chances of less well-off pupils.

“That is why we are consulting on proposals to tap into that expertise and spread that knowledge across the system so that every child has access to a good school place."